Financial scams have become increasingly common, and the latest victim is actor Disha Patani’s father, Jagdish Singh Patani. Jagdish, a retired deputy SP, was defrauded of Rs 25 lakh by a group of five men who promised him a high-ranking position in a government commission, PTI reported on Friday. An FIR was registered at the Bareilly Kotwali police station.

Police Official’s Statement

“A case has been registered against Shivendra Pratap Singh, Diwakar Garg, Acharya Jayaprakash from Juna Akhara, Preeti Garg, and one unidentified person for cheating, criminal intimidation, and extortion,” informed Kotwali police station in-charge D K Sharma. “Efforts are underway to arrest the accused and take strict action,” he added.

What Happened?

Jagdish Patani, a resident of Bareilly’s Civil Lines area, alleged that Shivendra Pratap Singh was an acquaintance and a trusted man. During a meeting, Jagdish introduced him to Diwakar Garg and Acharya Jayaprakash. The complaint further states that the accused claimed to have strong political connections and assured Patani of their help in securing a position as chairman, vice-chairman, or a similar prestigious post in a government commission.

Convinced by their promises, Jagdish gave the accused an amount of Rs 25 lakh, out of which Rs 5 lakh were given in cash, while Rs 20 lakh were transferred to three different bank accounts. Things took an ugly turn when Jagdish noticed no progress in the matter and began to demand his money back. Initially, the accused promised to return the money with interest; however, when Jagdish put pressure on them, he was met with threatening behavior and aggression by the five men, the police informed.

Jagdish also informed the police that he was misinformed about the accused man. The complaint describes how the conman was introduced to him as an “officer on special duty”. Jagdish decided to file a complaint after he sensed a larger fraud scheme by these men.